Sajid Javid’s inability to decide on policy shows a government without purpose | Tom Kibasi

How can the chancellor choose if he is for or against austerity if Boris Johnson himself doesn't know how he wants to govern?

Sajid Javid's recent demand that government departments find a further 5% of cuts to their budgets reveals the confusion at the heart of Boris Johnson's new administration. Before the election, Javid promised that austerity would end across all aspects of the state. Now he asks for more than 30bn of cuts - equivalent to around a quarter of the annual NHS budget. Those who warned that Javid's promises could not be taken at face value feel vindicated.

Witness Javid promising a decade of divergence from the EU only to row back in response to the howls of business

Related: In order to survive as chancellor, Sajid Javid is having to adapt quickly | Katy Balls